Midwife checks didn't pick up breech

[Tresfren]

I'm 36 +4 and went for regular midwife check this morning. She felt tummy as usual and said baby's head was down near cervix which is what they've said for past few times.

Three hours later due to (mild) gestational diabetes I was having a growth scan. Baby is breech, bottom was near cervix.

I find it hard to believe baby could turn within a few hours and I certainly didn't feel that.

I'm a bit disconcerted - if it wasn't for having diabetes, I'd never have got scanned and would have headed towards a natural delivery in ignorance thinking I was low risk And all was OK.

Been offered an ECV but don't want to try it so it looks like a c section although I can feel her moving a lot tonight so maybe she does still turn?

Did anyone else's midwife not get position right? I asumme heads and bums may feel similar but was still a bit shocked.

A bum that’s been in a pelvis being moulded for a long time can easily feel like a head. Have you ever felt your bump? You’re feeling for a long back, and a hard found ball, possibly some limbs depending on the exact position. It really isn’t an exact science. On some women with less fluid, or poor muscle tone it might be easier. On some women with high abdominal fat, very strong abdominal muscles, or lots of fluid, it can be nigh on impossible. Even how full your bladder is and the exact angle you are laying at will make a difference.

Whilst I appreciate that having a breech baby is daunting, it is not nearly as life threatening or dramatic as posters on Mumsnet would have you believe. It is a variation of normal. If a breech delivery is proceeding quickly (ie. Not discovered until the last minute, or delivering unexpectedly at home) this is very reassuring and a good sign that baby is well and optimally positioned (although upside down), with little likelihood of complications. A slow, prolonged breech labour (in which case this would definitely be picked up) is more of a cause for concern.

I found out when I went to the hospital during labour! she had always been breech but I was told at my 36 week appt so had turned - I hadn't felt she had but thought I was wrong. Turns out she hadn't and I had an EMC within 15 mins of arriving at the hospital!

This is why there's a recommendation working its way through the system to routinely scan late in pregnancy to identify breech.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/06/third-scan-reduce-uk-breech-birth-numbers-study-suggests

If your baby was breech after, I think, 36 weeks, make sure they have an ultrasound scan after they are born to check for hip dysplasia

I absolutely had my dc3 still swinging around head and bum right up to 40+12. I was admitted a couple of times because it was breech and they were concerned but I kept getting let out again after a tumble. I usually didn't feel the turns specifically.

My little ones butt must have felt VERY much like a head as everyone I saw thought she was head down. She stopped moving towards the end and I was having regular monitoring and scans. Every morning they'd say she's head down, and every afternoon the scans showed she was breech so they booked the section.. but even on the morning of my section, they came and felt and said head down so went off to grab a bedside scanner which showed her head still stubbornly stuck in my ribs.
I imagine sometimes it's just pretty tricky to tell! I do wonder if it's easier to tell with an internal examination when the time comes!

This happened with one of mine. He was an unstable lie and was literally somersaulting within minutes. I had GD and polyhydramnious.

I also had excess fluid - made the ECV super easy but the little blighter just turned straight around again ...

I had a scan for a c section with twins at 35 weeks, both head down. By the time I had my c section that afternoon one was breech.